North Otago Gardening May 25th 2011

Hi Terry & Frances,
I am in Ch Ch on Saturday with our little boys, just ring my mobile 0274430256.

Such a lovely mellow time of the year, I have done a heap of work in the garden this week.
Last week we had a truck load of the mulch from pukeuri freezing works as we do each year, I use my compost first then the mulch on top, it's just right for our garden.
Once all the autumn leaves and annual weeds have been removed from gardens I shovel this compost on thickly over beds. I use on all gardens, it looks great and suppresses weeds.
When I locate some pea straw I will spread over the compost on all gardens other than the gardens I mass plant with annual flowers. I plant the annuals straight into this mulch and they do well.
Bearded Iris rhizomes and freesia bulbs need to be exposed exposed to bake in the sun so keep compost and mulch off them.

I have been shifting bigger shrubs that I wrenched in March , our garden gets carried away from time to time and tries to out grow the size allotted to it!! some shrubs I planted and thought at the time, I could keep them shaped to fit the space, however after a while I get fed up with trying to keep them the right size for the spot, I dig them up and give them a ride in the wheel barrow. I have made complete new garden rooms by shifting tall front plantings to the back which opens a garden up allowing room for pathways, seating or a statue or pot on a graveled or paved area.
Don't be worried by reducing the height and width of trees and shrubs it is essential if garden space is limited, If only to let more light on to lower growing plants which will stop leggy growth and encourage optimum flowering.

This is a great time to make new perennial beds or reorganise existing beds.Every year perennial clumps increase in size, lift overgrown or stagnant clumps and replant some of the youngest growths from the perimeter. Healthy vigorous plants are best reduced by putting a sharp spade in where you would like a reduction in size, lift the cut portion out without disturbing the plant remaining.
I have been doing this with asters, phlox, aurbretia, small grass's, hosta's, and herbs like sage, thyme and lemon balm and rockery plants.
Once plants have been sectioned and rearranged cover the bed and around plants with compost which will encourage new root growth and help keep the perennial bed warmer through the colder months to come.
Some plants, peonie roses for instance, definitely resent any disturbance and a few others, such as gerberas, should only be moved in spring. hellebores are another group to leave alone now, as they are winter flowering. I have been cutting back the old leaves from my hellebores and will liquid feed fortnightly until buds begin to colour. Further in land it would be advisable to leave some top growth on to give frost protection to the clumps.

Lilies, this is the main time to shift or divide old over grown clumps of lilies. Be careful not to break the fleshy scales and to retain all the basal roots. Don't pull the old steams away from the bulb as it leaves a hole where water can enter and cause rot, just cut old stems short and never allow Lilly bulbs to dry out while out of the ground . I plant lilies on a little river sand and cover with compost which has had blood and bone added.

Vegetables & fruit
Apples are dripping from trees, it has been a good ripening season, it is best to pick apples for storing when not too ripe.
Continue planting strawberry plants, raising the beds where drainage is suspect and adding manure rich compost to the beds.
Garlic again, such a used clove in today's cooking, I go through so much of it. Any time from late May until August plant garlic cloves in warm, well-drained sites where soil has been recently limed. Select large single cloves and plant 5cm deep and 20cm apart.
Start pruning pip fruit trees any time after the leaves have fallen, remove dead or damaged wood, crossing or inward turning branches, excess leaders or sucker growth developing on the main trunks. Shorten back vigorous leaders by about a 1/3 to promote branching. Prune over long side branches back to a weak twig to discourage further spread.
Cheers, Linda